myers



H. A. MYERS METHOD `AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHEET GLASS Oct. 16, 1923.1,471,189

Filed Sept. 15 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1. f2

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHEET GLASS Oct. 16

H. A. MYERS s sheets-sheet 2` Filed Sept. l5. 1920 2 HIEIQ was il TMA MOct. 16 1923. 1,471,189

H. A. MYERS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHEET GLASS Filed Sept. l51920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 /8 1 *y E iP/g "gi/419* I I 27 I l 20" 25 L' y Mll n 3.3 J/ /h 55 {Il}` l;\ 5 ff EN i /ff INVENTE Patented Oct. 15,i923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUBERT A. MYERS, F TOLnDO, OHIO. ASSIGNOR T0 THE I-IUBRT A. MYERSCOMPANY, OF TQLEDO, OHO, A CORPORATIGN 0F 07H10.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHEET GLASS.

Application filed September 15, 1920. Serial No. 410,412.

Be it known thaty I, Honnnr A. MYERS, a citizen ot' the United States,and a resident ot' Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State o ot Ohio,have made an Invention ppertaining to Method and J`ippr-ratus forForming;

Sheet Glass; and I do hereby declare the tollowing to be a full, clear,and exact description ot' the invention, such as will enable 1G othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to malte and use the saine,refer ence being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the charactersot `reference marked thereon, which 'torni part o1" this specification.

This invention relates to the art oi' drawingor tiowing glass in sheetor plate forni Vfrom a tank or pot containing molten glass, andparticularly to a species ot the invention described and claimed in myioriner applr cation for United States Letters Patent Serial No.374,884, led April i9, 1920.

rEhe object of the present invention `is to cover more or lessspecilieally a method and -f apparatus for drawingV or tlowino; acontinnous sheet downward from atanir or other sonrie of molten glasssupply, applying trames in successive order thereto to preventdistortion ol the portions ofthe sheet encompassed thereby, andsubsequently separating the sheet between the :trames into sections ttorannealing and sepa-rate handling.

rThe invention is fully described in the tol lowing specification, andwhile` in its broader aspect, it capable of being prac-` ticed innumerous ways, one forni of apiiiaratus for practicing` the saine isillustrated in the accoinpanying` drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of an apparatus embodyingthe invention with parts breiten away. the section beingr taken on theline 1-1 in Fig'. Q.. Fig. 2 is a. section on the line 2 3?. in Fig. 1,with parte broken away, 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail ofthe means tordseverine4 the sheet into sections and changing the courseot' movement ot the sectionsu'trom a vertical to a horizontal. i is anenlarged fragmentary sectional detail taken on the line 4-4 in Fie". 5,and Fig. 5 i an enlarged section on the line 5-5 in Referring to thedrawings` 1 designates a covered tank containing molten glass 2 and itiC having a narrow slot-like opening 3 in its bottom through which glassmay flow downwardly in continuous sheet iorm from the tank. The tankinav be in connection with a melting furnace or have its supply ot glassmaintained in any other suitable manner.

The stream or sheet o of glass after leaving the discharge opening 3preferably passes downward through what may be termed a temperingchamber l formed on Jthe under side ot' the tank bottom and having' aimi-row opening- 5 in its bottom through which the sheet may passwithout contact with the walls thereof. While a tempering` heat may bemaintained in any suitable manner in its bottom, I have illustrated torsuch purpose a pair of electrically heated rolls 6 properly positionedand spaced to have opposed gauging Contact with the sheet to determinethe thickness thereof. The sheet upon leaving the chamber 4 enters andpasses downward a distance through a vertii cal chamber or compartment 7formed byl a casing 8 and then enters and passes in' sectional `form, ashereinafter described, through a horizontally disposed chamber 9 formedby a casing 10 which either itself toi-ms or is in communication with aleer for annealing the ware.

During` the drawingJ or flowing of the sheet from the tank, andcontinuous there# with, narrow strips 11, preferably of metal, f

are ted down through the tank at the edges ot the sheet longituclinallythereof so that tl e strips adhere to and `t'orm the edge portions o1Ithe sheet as it fiows from the tank, the strips being ted at the speedof flow or movement of the sheet. These strips preferably ieed downthrough therespective end portions of the openings 3 with their inneredges only in contact with the sheet edges, and pass between therespective end portions ot the rolls 6, which, in conjunction with oneor more sets ot rolls 12 above the tank, control thc feeding of thestrips. The dilierent sets rolls 6 vand 12 may have chain and sprocketconnection 13 to adapt them to be driven at uniform speed. The shafts ofthe rolls G are geared togetherat one end, as shown at tl, and one hasdriving chain and sprocket connection 15 at its other end with a driveshaft 16, which extends crosswise of the sheet o at one side thereof andmay have a sprocket-wheel 17 at one end without the casing 8 inconnection with any suitable driving means. v

The strips l1 are oli like predetermined length with the ends ofsuccessive strips in abutment so that there will be an uninterruptedfeeding of the saine to the `l` n1nin`g f sheet edges, with the stripsof the two sets arranged in pairs withV their ends transversely aligned.When the lower ends of each pair ol strips reach a predeterminedpoint,in their movengient beloiv the tank and While the Vstrips A.arestill en ed by the feeding roll 6 a pair'or' erU ,ars 18 are led fromopposite sides oit the sheet and in'essed in opposed clamping relationthereagainst `and to the side strips l1 and are secured togetherbypivoted end catches 19 on one bar enajaging` Catch pins :l0 on theother7 as shown. in l. f4; an space 2l. is `left betweenthe opposedinner faces of 'the cross-bars i8. to laceoininodate the sheet lof.glass, which contacts with and is supportedby the eross-barsi similarpair of cross-barsf/JQ is likewise clamped tothe npperendsfof each pair'ol strips 11 and to the sheet asV they passa predetermined point intheirzdescent and are retained in such clamping relation by theengagement of catchesQB on one bar withgpins on the other. It is thusevident that all ed t predetermined successive sections or areas of thesheet are held by frames orf rectangw lar form which maintain the sheetsections of uniform size and prevent warping, ging vor other disgurementthereot during thefsheet forming and cooling action,

.The cross-bars 18 and 22 are delivered in proper order and clamped tothe respeegftive sides of the strips l1 `and sheet o by 'two sets ofchains 25 disposedat opposite sides of the sheet and passing aroundsprocket Wheels-26 adjacent to the sheet Within the upper portion of'the chamber 7. @ne set of sprocket `Wheels QG'is mounted, on a shaftlzjand the `other set is `mounted on a shaft 27 disposed at the oppositeside of 'the sheet to theshai't 1G such shafts hen ivithoutvone end oil'the casing 18 by of `gears28 to canse them 'to rotate a form speed inopposite directions. oi" chainsl carries at properly spa tervalscross-bars 29 and 30, each oi is pivota'lly connected in the chains andtakes the .place of a link in each chain or the set.

Each cross-bar Q9 and 30 at each en d thereof carries a pivoted catch orhook member 31v adapted to have hooked engagement with a -ingerBQvon therespective end oi a har 18 or 22 Wherebythe bar is held to the chain.The inner end or' each hook inenfiber 31 is provided With-a tail-piecefor ti A .g engagement with a registering stationary cam 33 when asetrof crossbars has been placed in clamping engagement with the strips11 and the interposed sheet. The cams or trip Vmembers 33 are carried bybracket arms 34 projecting inwardly lrom the respective sides of thecasing 8.

The cross-bars 18 and 22, when being delivered to sheetclamping'position, are carried,respectively, by the cross-bars 29 and 30oi'f each chain set, being disposed flatvvise thereagainst with theirsheet coacting sides outermost and being held to the cha-in. crossba-rsby the engagement ol the hoolr members 31 with the fingers or catch lugs32 on the respective fra-me cross-bars 18 and 22. Approximately at theperiod. oi' movement oit' a pair of frame bars into cramping engagementwith the sheet and edge s ."is, the hook members 31 aremoved to releasethe framebarsirom engagement with the chain-bars by reason of thetail-piece of the respective hook members striking and being moved bythe obstructions 33. Approximately at the period of release of theframe-bars trom the chain-bars the catch lingers 19 are moved intocatch. engagement with the pins 2() by reason of tail-pieces on thecatch lingers 19 striking lugs or projections 85 on one side be.attached to the cross-bars thereof either mechanically or by hand.

'A guide rail 36 is provided vertically Within the chamber'7 at eachedge of the sheet a parallel With the movement thereof and has tivovertical parallel guideways 37 and 38,V which are spaced transversely otthe sheet face sor that the guide grooves are at opposite-sides of theplane of movement ol'vthe sheet. The guide rails 36 extend down Vthroughthe chamber 7 and into the chamber 8 to near the bottom thereof` and isprovided with two `vertically extending guide igrooves 37 vand 38. Bothgrooves 37 and 38 are open `at'both top and bottom With the bottomopening of the groove 38 near the top of the chamber 9. @ne member oteach pair of frame-bars 18 has a stud or trunnion 39 projecting fromeach end thereA of in position, in the present instance, to enter the`guide. groover-l' at the top thercot when the bars have been placed inclamping engagementwvth the sheet ci and edge strips 11, Whiletheopposite member of each set of frame Vbars 22 has a stud or trnnnion4U projecting from each end thereof for entering and passing downthrough the guide groove 38 When'the bars 22 of a set have been placedin clamping relation to the sheet and edge strips, as shown in Figs. 4and 5.

When a frame embraced section ot the sheet a is lowered a predeterminedextent into the chamberrQ, the'trunnions 39 oi' the lower crossbars 18and the trnnnione` Ll() tio of the upper crossebars 22 of the frame willleave the lower ends of the respective guide grooves 37 and 33 and theframe and the embraced portion of the sheet will then be caused to movelaterally from the vertical plane of nuiveinent of the sheet and in ahorizontal direction through the chamber 9 with the trunnions 40following flanges or rails 41 on which they rest at the .respectivesides of the chamber 9. The flanges 41 extend in curved lines from theinner walls of the vertical guide grooves 3S and then extendhorizontallythrough the chamber 9. The transverse feeding movement of the framesections is positively effected by chains 42 disposed in the chamber A9at each side thereof above the flanges 41 and carrying notched lugs 43at properly spaced intervals to engage the respective trunnions 49 asthey leave the lower ends of the grooves 38 and to continue inengagement therewith so long as it may be desired to continue thefeedingvmovement of the frame ectionsvthrough the chamber 9. The chains42 pass around sprocket-wheels 44 adja` cent to the lower ends of theguido grooves 38, such sprocket-wheels being carried by a cross-shaft45. This shaft is journaled in the sides of the casing 10 and is drivenfrom the shaft 16 through a chain and sprocket wheel connection 46, thespeed Y of driving of the shaft 45 being uniform with that of the shafts16 and 27.

The severing of they sheet abetween the upper and lower sets of clampingbars of adjoining frames is caused to take place by a stretching actionof the sheet by reason of a relative lateral movementof such sets Offrame bars as one is caused to move horizontally along the rails 41 andthe other is caused` to continue its vertical movement alonc the guiderails 36, it being understood that the glass is still in a softstretchable condition at this point by reason of the heat within thechambers 9 and 7. Upon a severing of each framed section of the sheetthe section is carried in suspended relation through the annealingchambers A positive feeding movement uniform with the feeding of thesheet from the tank is in parted to the lower end of each sheeteinbracing frame bye-pair of chains 47 which pass at their upper endsaround sprocketwheels 48 on a. shaft 49 disposed below a set of sprocketwheels 2G, and at their lowerv ends around sprocket wheels 50 carriedbyk a shaft 51 slightly below the 'lower ends of the guide grooves 37.The chains .47 carry notched lugs 52 at properly spaced intervalsthereon to engage with the trunnions 39 of each lower set of clampingbars 22 when said bars have descended a predetermined distance. thefeeding engagement of the lugs with the trunnions being continued untilthe trunnions have passed from the lower ends of the'guide grooves 37.The shaft 49 is driven from the shaft 16 through a chain and sprocketwheel connection 53.

In 4the operation of the apparatus illus trated in carrying out mymethod the edge strips 11 are fed in continuous successive order downthrough the tank at the edges of the sheet a flowing from the tank7 thespeed of movement of the strips being the same as .the speed of flow ofthe forming sheet a due to both the glass at the sheet formingipointthereofand the strips passing between the feed rolls 6 which are heatedto serve as a tempering means Yfor the glass to impart` the proper sheetforming consistency thereto. The edge strips 11 act as width maintainingmeans for the sheet and prevent the natural tendency of the soft glassto draw :in at the edges of the sheet, When the sheet and strips havelowered a predetermined extent in the chamber 7. a set of cross-bars 1Sis applied in opposed clamping relation to the sheet and edge strips atthe lower ends of the latter by the chains 25-25, the cross-bars beingreleased from the chains by the engagement of the vcarrying hooks 3lwiththe stationary members 353. Approximately coincident with the` releasingof the hooks 31 fromr the frame hars the catch fingers 19 engage thestandard coacting members 35 and are moved thereby into catch engagementwith the pins 2O thereby looking the cross-bars in sheet clampingrelation. 1When the sheetand strips have lowered sufficiently to placethe upper end in a pair of edge strips incross-bar receiving position,the chains 25-25 will apply a set of cross-bars 22 to the sheet andstrips in the same manner that the cross-bars 18 were applied thereto.thereby completing the framing of a predeterminedsection or area of thesheet. These operations are repeated for each successive sheet sectionand pair of edge strips 11. .ers the sets of frame-bars 18 and 22 passdownward with the sheet after being applied thereto the trunnions 39 ofthe former enter and pass downward in the guide grooves 37'while thetrunnions 40 of the latter enter and pass downward.

into guide grooves 3S. When each section is lowered sufliciently for thetrunnions at the lower and upper ends to pass from the lower ends of therespective guide lgrooves 37 and 88, the trunnions at the upper end ofthe frame will be engaged by the chain lugs 43 and caused thereby tofollow the lateral deflecting course or" the guide rolls or flanges 4l..which causes a lateral separation of the adjacent ends of adjoiningframes to effect a. severing of the soft glass therebetween and thenconveys the individual framed sections of glass'separately and insuspended relation through the annealing chamber 9.

`It is evident that I have provided a method and apparatus Vfor forming`sheet or plateglass in which' a sheet of. glass is caused to fiowcontinuously `atuniform'rspeed from the 4supply tank; that frames aresuccessively engaged with the -sheetvto embrace successive areas thereofof predetermined size as the sheet is formed; that the frames,orportions thereof,` serve in a way `as a drawingmeans for the sheet toaugi'ne'nt if necessary-the gravity "flowing actionof the glass and alsoprevent inward drawingor contractions Oi' the-edges thereof, and thatthe sheet isf severedI between thesections and Y thencarried through an`annealing chamber,

each sheet vsection being retained in its trame until thoroughly setandpreferably until discharged'fromfthe leer. --Afterthe removal of the4frames Vfrom the sheet seetions, Whichmay be accomplished Ain `anysuitable manner7V the edge portions of the sections may `be removedtherefrom leaving a sheetof perfect `uniformity throughout and devoidvofany Waves or surface irregularities.

I Wish it understood that the method described may be varied in numerousA`respects and practiced bynunierous apparatus other than theone'illustrated without .departing fromthe spirit of the claims, theapparatus shown and described'being merely fort-he e purposeofillustration'and not to restrict the scopeof the invention.

Having thus'described my invention, what Irelaim Yas new and desire Atosecure by Letters f Patent .isr- Y l. The `method of forming sheettg-lass, which consistsin flowing sheetglass downward from amolten bath,feeding strips in successive"longitudinally :aligned order to the. edgesofthe -sheetlengthwise thereof and irl-adherence therewith, vwiththeedge strips at opposite-edges ofthe'V sheet forming,l pairsandapplying 'cross members at intervals'to the sheetand strips toconnectthe latter inpairs.

2, The methodI of Aforming; y sheet glass, which consists in ilowing.glass insheet form downward from a Ytank containing molten glass,amilying'` nieixfihers successively to the plastic sheet below theta-nktoseparate the sheet intosections, Aand A successively movin;r

p the sections laterally from the direction of CII iow tosever the sheetbetween the sections. 3. The method of forming sheet glass,

which consists in flowinG-Ulass in sheet forni from a molten bath,Vapplying frames successively ltoV the plastic sheet, and successivelyacting onA the framed-sections to im* part relative ylateral movementstoadjacent ends thereofto sever the 'sheet therebetween.

t. The inethod of forming sheet glass, which-.consists in'flowing glassin sheet form verticallyl from a -moltensouree of supply, applyingsuccessive frame sections'to the sheet during the verticalvmovementthereof and at a predetermined point in the yvertical movement of eachframed section laterally moving the same to Aseparate it from theformmgsheet and convey `it to a delivery point.

The method of foriningsheet glass, which consists 'in continuouslyforming 'glass insheet-'form fromi a Source of molten glass supply, thesheet being 'continuously moved `vertically i from the 'forming point,successively applying" frames to` the sheet lto embrace and holdpredetermined areas of the sheet, `andfat Ia .predetermined pointin themovement'of each-framed area, while the A giass .is still in a plasticsheet, imparting relative llateral inlove-ment to 'the adjacent ends ofadjoiningisections torse/ver the sheet therebetween. Y

6. 'In yan vapparatus for forming sheetl gass, a tank containing molten`glass from whichglass may .fiow` in sheet form, means forfcedingedgerstrips in successive Aorder to the respective .edges Vof thesheetin Vadherencetherewith,lineans for applying cross strips atintervals ltolthe sheetand edge strips to cooperate withthe latter toVform frames, i means L for directing thekmovement of the frames avpredetermined distance in the direction ofmovementof the sheet, `andmeans forsuccessively engaging and'movingr euch framelaterally .from thepath offlow of the sheet when'atapii'edetermined.point in its movement`whereby to `sever `thesheet between adj oiningiframes.

F.In an 'apparatus 'for forming sheet glas, a tan-k containing moltenglassfrom which Y glass may flow in sheet form, means for feeding.strips successively through ythe tank at the edges .of theformi-ngsheetin adherence.therewith and at theespeedlofflow of thesheet, `.means for clamping erossbars at intervals tothe -sheet andVedge strips nto cooperate with the latter to `form vframes embracing;predeterminedsheet areas, means for imparting predetermined verticalmovements to the frames, and means vforenfifa'g- Sii loo

ing; each frame vata:predeterminedpoint in A its vertical movement andmoving it'later ally from the direction offlow' of thesheet to adelivery point.

8. ln an apparatus for forming sheet glass, a tank `for containing`molten glass fromk which 'glass may flow continuously in sheet form,means for successivelyfeeding end'stripsin'pairs to theopposite edges ofthe sheet'beingformed lengthwiseof Lthe movement thereof in `adherencetherewith,

means for-successively applying upper and A lowerrsets` of cross bars tothev uppera'nd lower ends of eachpairof edgezstrpsand frame forhorizontal movement when it has reached a predetermined point in itsvertical movement, and means for engaging and moving each frame sectionlaterally from the guide means when in side delivery position and toetfect a severing of the sheet between the upper end of the laterallymoving section and the lower end of a succeeding section.

9. In an apparatus for forming sheet glass, a tank having an opening inits hottorn through which molten glass may flow in sheet form, .a leeradjacent to the tank and having a vertical passageway in communicationwith the tank opening, mechanism for applying trames to successive areasof a forming sheet as it flows from the tank through said passageway,and means for separating the framed sections and conveying them throughthe leer when they have moved downward into register with the leer.

10. In an apparatus for forming sheet glass, a tank having an opening inits bottom from which molten glass may ow in sheet form, means forming aleer suhjacent to the tank and a vertical passageway in communicationwith the tank opening, means for feeding successive edge strips in pairsto the side edges of a sheet as it flows from the tank, means forapplying cross bars successively in pairs to the upper and lower ends ofeach pair of edge strips and the interposed vsheet section to cooperatewith the edge strips to form sheet embracing frames, means for guidingand moving the framed sheet sections down through the passageway andinto the leer, and means for engaging edge sheet section embracing framewhen in the leer to move it laterally from the succeeding framed sectionto sever the sheet therebetween and to carry the severed section throughthe leer.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specication.

HUBERT A. MYERS.

